Tuesday, 10 August 2010

It has been a while since my last post, but since i have not had any rackets to test it seemed a bit pointless in posting. However, i now have some rackets so here goes:-

I have had the lethal 90 and the Tantrum 300 for around 2 weeks now and given both of them a good thrashing. The first up is the 90, a UK only racket, and is the successor to the lethal 70. The 70 has been the best racket made by Apacs in my opinion, and the one which i currently play with, so the 90 has a lot to live up to. The technical details are as follows-

My test racket was strung at 28lbs with apacs string. Looking at spec it looks like it is very similar to the lethal 70, ie stiff frame, high string tension and head heavy balance, all the ingredients for power. Comparing it with the 70, the balance seems a little bit less head heavy, but it is a very small difference. After picking it up and playing a few shots it felt very similar to the 70, very solid on impact. This is what makes a racket in my opinion, it has to feel solid, and you can tell this from the very first shot you play. Stiffness is the same as well, but the one difference is the frame design on the head, with the lethal 90 being a bit more aerodynamic. Do you notice this when playing shots? Not really, no. With it feeling more even in balance it means you lose a bit of power from the rear court, so in my opinion it is not as powerful as the 70. However, it feels a whole lot better at the front of the court because it is easier to swing around for reaction shots, so net play is improved, as are defensive and reaction shots.

Having said all this, the 90 does feel more responsive all round, especially with higher string tension. This racket is designed for this, so to get the best out of it, you need to experience it with tight stringing. Overall, i would place the 90 on equal terms with the 70, and that is high praise indeed. It does the job as good as anything else currently available. It has slightly less power, but makes up for this by being more responsive and better around the front court. It is not cheap, at around £89, but trust me, it is one of the best rackets you will get your hands on this year. Apacs have raised the bar again, and it is good to see this. Buy one and you will not be disappointed at all, it has been worth the wait.

I also have the Tantrum 300, which will be reviewed in the next post, and all i will say is that it is unbelievable.

Although i have not yet written the review for the tantrum 300 i can tell you that it is head heavy, more so than the lethal 70 (ignore what the spec says about it being an even balance- it isn't at all) The result is that it is very powerful overhead- more powerful then the lethal 70 in my opinion. If you like smashing then the 300 is the one to get. The lethal 90 is more evenly balanced, so it is more of an all round racket in my opinion. If this suits your style of play then get it.

I have to say that the 300 is my kind of racket, and i will be buying it, as it is even better for me than the lethal 70, and you all know how much i like that racket. High praise indeed.

I have the Tantrum 200 (which I think is similar to the Tantrum 300, but marketed for different markets - correct me if I am wrong) and yes, the Tantrum 200 unstrung and with stock grip came in at 295 balance point.

So yes, I agree that it is somewhat head heavy, but strung and gripped and over gripped, it is now at 280 balance point.

The lethal 70 and tantrum 300 are UK spec only i think, thats what they have printed all over them anyway. Steve from Apacs Sports UK may well leave a comment on here about it, i know he does check in quite regularly when he has given me some test rackets.

What do you think of Nano Pro 9600 Tour compare to Lethal 90? I thinking of buying one of them. I read both of your post on them it seems like both of these racket are even balance with slight head heavy and all round racket. Which one is better overall?

I will be playing a mixture of singles and double and intensivetraining every week , which would be a better choice ? Tantrum 300 , lethal 70 and lethal 90 ? I really like the 3 of them but I only have enough money to buy one . Can you recommand me one among the 3 ?

I got a bit confused as when I asked you which you prefer , you said the lethal 70 , and in the tantrum 300 review you stated that it is better than both.

It is a bit difficult for me to recommend which one you should buy because we are all different. I do prefer the lethal 70, it is the one i currently play with, but it is head heavy and pretty stiff. It does however have the most stability, which is why it gets my vote. The tantrum 300 is also very good, but it does feel a but different to the lethal 70 and 90. All 3 are excellent, but the 70 gets my vote. I hope this kind of helps, but rackets are so subjective!

Not sure what the 70 and 90 actually mean. I am guessing the 90 is meant to be an improved version of the 70, but for me the 70 is a bit better. Not sure if it is available in singapore, but there is an apacs thread over at badminton central, which is much more detailed than what i can offer. Someone on there will most likely be able to give you more specific answers.

There will not be much difference at all so don't worry about that. As far as string tension goes, well that is entirely down to you and what your own preference is. My own string tension is at around 28lbs, and this is pretty high. I find higher tension gives me the control i am looking for, but the downside is that you lose out on power if your technique is a bit suspect, the potential for injury is higher, and the strings will break more easily if you mis hit a shot. Higher tension is really only for advanced players, but you need to find this out yourself. The golden rule is to work your way up to higher tensions if you so wish. The main consideration is to play with fells best for you, it will always be this way. As far as grips go, i use the Karakal PU grips, or towelling grips.

Currently using the L70 and have just played with my new L100. Apart from the difference in looks and supposed technology (I am not qualified to assess that side of things, that is) the L100 feels lighter on the arm when smashing and clearing to the back court. I am not sure how stiffness is gauged, but the L100 has a little more whip action compared to my L70.It is rather similar to my YY Arc8DX which is not so old for me, but I had no problem adjusting to this racket (L100) in any way whatsoever. I also received a T300 at the same time as the L100 and both have a nice solid feel during play. All rackets mentioned above are set up similarly (grip size and string tension etc). I have to say I am very impressed with the Apacs I have have and happy to play with any of them. Now...I just have to improve my game and get become a little more agile to make things even better! :)

Sounds like the lethal 100 is pretty goog then? I have not tested this yet, so i will send an e-mail to Apacs UK to see if they have any coming in soon. I have played with the yonex arcsaber 8DX, and although it was very good, i felt it was not as solid as the lethal 70, the head seemed to move around a bit more on impact, which is suprising, but it does show how far the likes of apacs have come in just a few years.

Yes, the L100 does feel good to play with and it is easier the push the shuttle to the back of court than the L70. Saying that, I think I agree with you about the L70 being a little more solid headed - the red also looks more pleasing on the eye (well, to me, anyways). The stringing patterns are different but even when the same machine has strung them with the same tension (25/27)BG80, they sound different in pitch when you ping them. All in all, any of the three Apacs L70, L100 and T300 are a pleasure to play with. I also like the Arc8DX but it now sits in my bag next to an old AT700 (V1). I have used the same BG80 at 25/27lbs for a long time and like to stick with it to make sure that I can learn to improve or maximise what I have - albeit, my skill and fitness remains below average!!!Either way...the game is fun and love it.Thanks for you excellent reviews and opinions on the things you use.Stay positive.Cheers,Anthony NZ